


Breathing Space

by virgilsjourney (jenna221b)



Series: Learning & Loving [2]
Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders
Genre: (well the awkward beginnings of flirtings but they've not quite realised it yet), Alternate Universe - College/University, Banter, Ella Enchanted, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, Gen, Logan knows Things, Logan playing Cupid in the background, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Virgil being a great friend, something more lighthearted after Brave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-17 02:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11842287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenna221b/pseuds/virgilsjourney
Summary: Sequel to Brave.~“I have been made- ah- aware of the Giant Jerk Number One situation.”“You’ve- oh. Have- have you seen Roman today?”“I have.”Virgil tries to disguise his shoulders tensing with worry, but he can’t help it. Maybe Roman found things too awkward. Maybe he said something wrong, and Roman had to vent to Logan about it and, oh God-“Virgil. Relax. We just chatted for a little while. He said you were... very kind.”





	Breathing Space

Virgil hardly wakes at all, which surprises him. He is usually a notoriously light sleeper, as if some part of his mind is constantly on guard, waiting to hear if something changes during the night. 

But, this time, his mind slips easily into sleep, limbs blissfully heavy. He vaguely remembers stirring at the sound of Roman moving the covers back. He remembers trying to say  _something_ , at least, only managing a weak, questioning, “Hmm...?” And then, Roman’s voice drifting through the fog: “Shh, it’s early, still. Go back to sleep.”

And, what’s even more surprising to Virgil is that he apparently does so. The next thing he knows is he’s waking up to the light of day streaming through his curtains. He gets up and stretches. Roman is not there.

Virgil opens his door to meet Logan in the corridor. He’s shutting the kitchen door behind him, balancing a cup of tea in one hand. He nods.

“Good morning, Virgil. Well, almost afternoon.”

“Hey, Teach. Much on today?”

“Not particularly- tutoring one first year in the lab at three, but apart from that... Actually.” Logan jerks his head towards his own room. “May we talk?”

Virgil frowns. “Uh, sure?”

He follows Logan down the corridor into his room. Logan leans on the desk and sips his tea while Virgil stands uncertainly, arms folded. Logan sets the mug down.

“I have been made- ah- aware of the Giant Jerk Number One situation.”

“You’ve- oh. Have- have you seen Roman today?”

“I have.”

Virgil tries to disguise his shoulders tensing with worry, but he can’t help it. Maybe Roman found things too awkward. Maybe he said something wrong, and Roman had to vent to Logan about it and, oh God-

“Virgil. Relax. We just chatted for a little while. He said you were... very kind.”

It’s odd to hear Logan speaking so slowly. Virgil is used to hearing him spout out every fact and observation under the sun, but now it sounds like he’s choosing his words very carefully, and Virgil can’t figure out why.

But Logan just smiles at Virgil’s confusion. And, again, Virgil can’t decipher what that smile means. 

“I think you should go to the kitchen,” is all Logan says, still with that infuriating smile on his face.

“Why? ... Has Patton broken the toaster again?”

But Logan doesn’t reply and Virgil huffs, leaving the room. Well, fine, he was going to the kitchen anyway, and while he was there he’d figure out what had Logan looking so damned smug...

He opens the door to find Roman standing in front of the hob. He’s changed into a white tshirt and boxer shorts (his version of pyjamas), and is carefully pouring batter into a pan.

“You amaze me, sometimes,” Virgil says and Roman jumps, nearly spilling the batter.

“Geez! Warn a guy! What do you mean?”

“You’re actually going to eat that for breakfast. With a hangover.”

Roman ducks his head and turns back to the pan. “Yeah, well, good thing I’ll not be the one eating it.”

“Huh?”

Roman steps backwards and holds the pan off the hob, and Virgil sees he’s making pancakes. Roman flips them expertly and, still not looking at Virgil, he says, “It’s your breakfast.”

Virgil leans against the counter, watching Roman cook. “You’ve lost me.”

“Syrup or nutella?”

“Wha- nutella, but-”

“Look, we don’t need to make a big deal out of it, it’s just... me saying thank you. For- for-” Roman tips the pancakes onto a plate and Virgil can definitely tell he’s avoiding his eyes. “For, you know...”

Virgil softens. Suspicion momentarily kept at bay, he can now spot the hesitance in Roman’s actions, how his face is still a touch too pale.

“I don’t need to be thanked,” he says. “I was just... doing what anyone would do.”

“No,” Roman says. “You did what _you_  would do. So, there. Thank you.”

He sets the plate down at Virgil’s usual spot. Virgil pauses.

“You sure you don’t want some? Raises blood sugar or whatever.”

Roman winces. “Not right now, don’t think I can face food yet.”

Virgil rolls his eyes but hopes he still manages to look somewhat sympathetic. “You’ll be ordering pizza in at least two hours, I guarantee it.”

“Shut up and eat your pancakes.”

Virgil sits down and takes a bite. They’re good,  _really_  good, but he’s not quite sure how to say that sincerely without embarrassing them both. It turns out he doesn’t need to worry about that, because Roman is hovering around the TV.

Virgil thinks of several things: that it’s a Wednesday, and Roman’s timetable is free; that Roman usually watches a movie on the one free day he has; that his whole body language still carries an edge of uncertainty; that he looks subdued and... lonely.

He sets aside his now empty plate, and once again makes a decision.

“Well, budge over then.”

Roman shifts down the couch to give Virgil some room, eyebrows raising in surprise. 

“Really? I didn’t think my movies were... your style.”

Virgil shrugs. “I don’t have classes today, either. It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

Roman rolls his eyes. “Wow, I’m flattered.”

Virgil is busy turning his phone on silent so he doesn’t immediately notice that there’s no Disney intro music. He looks up at the TV and then glances at Roman. 

“You’re picking something that  _isn’t_ Disney? Should I call 911?”

Roman snorts and throws the DVD case at him. “You realise not everything I like  _has_  to be Disney?”

Virgil flips the DVD case over to read the looping purple title:  _Ella Enchanted_. He quirks an eyebrow.

“It sure looks Disney-esque.”

“Okay, I  _guess_... it’s really cute though!” 

Virgil chooses to humour him, but after the first thirty minutes has passed, he surprises himself by how much he’s enjoying it.

“Actually,” he says, “It’s quite good. I like how it...” 

He trails off to think of the right word as Ella and Prince Char talk, and Roman pipes up: “Subverts stuff?”

“Yeah. That.”

Roman stretches and Virgil automatically makes himself smaller on the couch to give him space.

“That’s what my thesis is on.” Roman yawns, but he continues: “Well, kind of. S’how fairytales in theatre are more... like, compelling when they don’t follow trad- tradi-” He yawns again. “Uh, tradition. Excuse me.”

“It’s okay,” Virgil says. “How’d you sleep?”

“Well,” Roman reassures him. “Just not enough.”

Virgil realises Roman would have slept for longer if he’d not got up to make him pancakes. His chest floods with something like fondness as Roman yawns yet again.

“Here,” he says. He moves down to the end of the couch, tilting his legs away to give Roman the most space possible. “You can lie down if you want.”

But, Roman beckons him closer. “No, don’t, you’ll get cramp sitting like that. If we just...” He swings his legs round, stretching out fully on the inside of the couch, but making sure that Virgil has enough room to do the same. Virgil mirrors him.

Roman gestures towards the screen. “You can put it on whatever you’d like.” His eyes are already looking heavy.

“I want to see how it ends.” Virgil grins at how Roman’s eyes still manage to widen the tiniest bit in response. “Besides, I think I’ve figured out why you like this movie so much.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Well, you’re  _in_  it,” Virgil replies, tongue in cheek.

Roman laughs. Virgil can hear him suppressing more yawns underneath it. “Please,” he manages to scoff, even as his eyes start to close, “Call me Char.”

It doesn’t take him long to fall asleep. Virgil actually becomes wrapped up in the story, and doesn’t really notice that Roman  _is_  properly asleep, until he feels a warm weight on his knee. He pauses the movie to look, and smiles at the sight of Roman out for the count. His lips move a little in his sleep, as if he’s still trying to carry on a conversation. Then, Virgil sees that one of Roman’s legs is draped across his knee. He considers his reaction, and decides to just stay put and play the movie.

Besides, it feels... nice.

He’s pleasantly surprised at the drama of the movie’s climax for something that’s a rom-com, and he can’t help but chuckle that the closing song is ‘Don’t go breaking my heart.’ He turns to Roman, still fast asleep, and whispers, amused, “You really have the most romantic  _sappiest_  taste, you know.”

Roman doesn’t stir. But, at that moment, his stomach grumbles at a spectacular volume.

Virgil laughs. “You also win the Most Subtle Human award.”

He gets out his phone and orders pizza to arrive in just under an hour, reasoning that’ll give Roman enough time to wake up. He figures he’ll stay where he is until he absolutely has to move to get the door for the delivery.

You know. Just so he doesn’t wake Roman too early. That’s all.

**Author's Note:**

> also on tumblr: https://virgilsjourney.tumblr.com/post/164346922390/breathing-space


End file.
